ANZAC Day

97 years ago today the ANZAC Corp landed at Gallipoli. It was supposed to be a daring thrust to take Constantinople (Istanbul) but it bogged down almost immediately becoming a slugging match that lasted until 9 January 1916. It was a decisive defeat for the Allies and had many repercussions. Including for the First Sea Lord, Winston Churchill. It was also very important to the Turks in founding the Turkish Republic under Ataturk who was one of the commanders.

It is also commemorated in England, Canada, the United States, Thailand, India, France, Turkey, and several other countries.

And so we should take a moment today to remember those heroes who have stood with us in Europe (twice), in the Pacific campaign, in Korea, in Vietnam,in the cold war, in Iraq (twice) and in Afghanistan, and probably elsewhere that I’ve forgotten as well.

Here is what Atatürk himself had to say in 1934.

“Those heroes that shed their blood
And lost their lives.
You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country.
Therefore rest in peace.
There is no difference between the Johnnies
And the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side
Here in this country of ours.
You, the mothers,
Who sent their sons from far away countries
Wipe away your tears,
Your sons are now lying in our bosom
And are in peace
After having lost their lives on this land they have
Become our sons as well.”

2 Responses to ANZAC Day

A great study in military leadership and human sacrifice. The defeat of the force was bitter but it was bookended by another event on April 29th of 1916. British troops under General Nixon attempted to capture Bagdad (old spelling) and were lured into a battle with the Turks. As unprepared as the Empire was to dislodge Attaturk in Galipoli, they were even less prepared for a sustained battle with the Turks in the regions of Mesopotamia. For two centuries, small amounts of British regulars had been able to extend their rule over the “swarming millions” of the Orient. This surrender broke that string of dominance on land much as the defeat at Gallipoli forever ended British dominance from a sea borne force. The only saving grace for the Empire came in May of 1916 as the giant fleets of Germany and Britain clashed in the Battle of Jutland. While both forces suffered heavy losses of men and ships, technically, the British rule of the seas remained intact and the German fleet never again came out to challenge their supremacy.

A Reminder of Our Heritage

In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin.

But this is predicated upon the person’s becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American…There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn’t an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag… We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language.. And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people

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You have a great love of history and liturgy. You’re attached to the traditions of the ancients, yet you recognize that the old world — great as it was — is passing away. You are loyal to the customs of your family, though you do not hesitate to call family members to account for their sins.